An effective sleep break for nurses on late-night duty

This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of taking a sleep break for 15 min during the late-night shift on fatigue, sleepiness, and the quality of daytime sleep in nurses working under a 3-shift system, and identify measures to improve their working effectiveness via this habit. Thirty-one public hospital nurses with a nursing career of less than 3 years were placed under “simple break” and “15-min sleep break” conditions, 3 times each during the late-night shift, to compare the effects on their fatigue and sleepiness during work and the quality of daytime sleep after work. As for the quality of daytime sleep, they agreed that the 15-min sleep break brought about a better feeling during sleep and upon wake-up. Therefore, the 15-min sleep break was found to be effective in reducing fatigue and maintaining a good physical condition during work, and also beneficial for daytime sleep after work.